The Committee says much of the burnt material is recyclable or biodegradable and as a result could be utilised more usefully elsewhere.

It suggests this happens because waste-to-energy plants do not sort and remove food or recyclable plastic and paper waste as this is seen as the responsibility of residents, businesses and local authorities.

However, the group says levels of incineration show no signs of slowing down in the capital, due to it being a relatively cheap process.

Mark Sommerfeld, Policy Analyst at the Renewable Energy Association, said: “Energy from Waste has a crucial role to play at the end of the waste hierarchy, ensuring that the amount of waste going to landfill is minimised and that we are able to recover energy in the form of power and heat, as well as using advanced conversion processes to produce transport fuels and green chemicals for the capital.”